Norman's book, addressed to the physician caring for the newborn, serves as a "handy authority" on the congenital anomalies recognized during the first weeks of life. It does not attempt to exhaustively include all congenital anomalies. Instead, it describes the most important clinical entities, in 11 chapters divided according to organ system, each written by one or more of a panel of specialists. The second edition contains some updating of references, discussion of newer methods of management and the addition of a chapter on chromosomal abnormalities.
In general, the book falls short of being a helpful guide for either the physician-in-training or the man in practice. While the chapters are generally informative, they are quite uneven in organization and style.
Most chapters give rather cursory discussion of embryology and pathophysiology, but in some presentations the discussion of embryology is entirely omitted. Emphasis on therapy is quite varied. In the orthopedic